Hola Amigos,
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of finals, graduation, goodbyes, long distance driving, adjusting to the desert landscape of Farmington, NM, and of course, beginning my work as a CLM intern. My first week of work was really enjoyable and has got me looking forward to this summer and fall collaborating with the BLM on the Seeds of Success program. Even though I’ve only just started, my lovely mentor Sheila Williams managed to get me out in the field twice the first week! I met the New Mexico state botanist and a cool and endangered little plant called the Mancos milkvetch. There are so many new plants to learn because Maryland and the arid west share little flora in common. I’m going to be kept busy studying! My second week of work was spent at the CLM training in Illinois at the Chicago Botanic Garden. It was great to connect with fellow interns from near and far and I learned a lot of new and valuable things. One of the best gems I brought back from that experience is an understanding of how important the work I will be doing is, and how it fits into the bigger picture of future conservation of public lands. Its all very exciting to be a part of and I cannot express just how grateful I am that I have found my way here in the land of enchantment and in the midst of this incredible opportunity! More next time.
Hannah

My new backyard